Monster Mash Bash

So we have put the scary poster up...

...lit the pumpkin we carved at the Argory...

...fashioned one more....

...created a Storm Trooper...

...filled the party bags...

...made monster buns...

...and a monster eye cake....

...stocked the apothecary with "potted ghosts"...

...and other ghoulish goodies...

...set the table and put the sausages in the oven...

...it must be time for...

Bea's Monster Mash Bash!

As we waited for the bangers (get it?) to cook for our hot dogs, the little people decorated gingerbread pumpkins....

...while the even littler people had their version of hot dogs...

We also had Shrek's Terrifying Tales which FYI is fairly funny and not so terrifying.  Thankfully, this was what I was going for when I bought the dvd.

We even let very suspicious characters in, and were quite relieved when Lucas revealed his true identity.  We are still not too sure who the other one is...

Then after tea we set off on a spider hunt.  The little people hunted spiders downstairs, while the bigger kids had to search for theirs upstairs...in the dark...with only their torches to guide them!  (OK...I did put one lamp on and two glow in the dark spiders to help them out....but I had hung a couple of giant cobwebs to add to the thrill.)  Incidentally, if you ever consider hosting a monster mash...this game is fabulous, if only for the fact that it kept Bea occupied for an hour this afternoon as she embraced the role of "spider hider" while I baked buns.

"Now all look at the camera and shout SPIDERS"

Yeah..that'll work!

This was "the best" photo

Obviously by "the best" I mean not the worst.  I seemed incapable of taking a non blurry photo all night.  There was always one bit totally out of focus...perhaps I should consider the use of a flash!

Then it was time to tuck into "Mummy's Apple Pies".  Naturally, there were coins and buttons hidden within the apply depths.  (When I had finished clearing up and sat down with a cup of tea and a slice this evening...I got the £1...RESULT)

We also cut into the monster's head.  He didn't like it much.

Then it was time to decorate some masks.

All the mums and dads were given voting slips at this point and asked to indicate the child with the fanciest fancy dress.  Without doubt, the winner was Miss Alana...

With the tiny Scarlett pumpkin attaining a respectable runner up position!

Once the winners were announced, we played a mummy game...because what's a monster mash without a roll of toilet paper to tidy up?  Then it was out into the garden for some sparklers.

Yes, I am aware that the traditional "dunking for apples" game was missing.  After nearly drowning Zachary last year (deep bucket + huge apple + boy determined to get apple = imminent disaster) we had bought two bags of small apples and checked for long stalks.  I had gotten Bea's baby bath from the loft and cleaned it in preparation....Then we completely forgot to dunk for apples.  So if you were wondering why we have a baby bath in the shower room...now you know...and if you fancy an apple...you know where to come ;)

Autumnal Adventures

aka "Pumpkins and Potions"

I'm not sure why I feel particularly sentimental about Autumn this year, but I do.  The colours seem so vibrant and I am a little in awe of the changing season.  Today being a crisp (cold) but dry day seemed perfect to tramp about through the leaves and have an Autumnal adventure.

Yellows

Reds

Oranges

So we headed off to the Argory to see what adventures could be had.  

As we gravel crunched through the courtyard, Beatrice was a little overwhelmed by everything around her...there were witches and pirates striding across the courtyard, elegant looking ladies with large spiders on their hats and an elderly red riding hood who took our money in the car park.  She was reluctant to listen to the spooky story, have her face painted, do some colouring in or make a spider.  So we walked to the front of the Argory to see if we could tour the house.  Something happened on the way to inspire a little confidence.

Perhaps it was chilling with her very handsome Daddy or...

....tossing handfulls of crisp and crunchy leaves.

But whatever it was, as we returned to the courtyard (to buy our tickets for the house tour) she was happy to venture into one of the old stables to make a pink pipe cleaner spider and have her face painted....as a witch...her choice.  So it was with a rather unusual little girl that we returned to the front door of the house. 

The house has never been lit by electricity, but
has a beautiful collection of gas lamps.

 The tour lasted 50 minutes and the guide (a very friendly elderly costumed lady) was unconvinced that Bea would be able to endure it.  "You can sneak out if you need to, don't worry" she asided to me in a dramatic stage whisper.  "Thanks, we'll see how we get on" I replied.  

The house was filled with lovely and very interesting pieces of furniture, like a table inlaid with butterflies in the drawing room, a giant doll's house (OK it was a miniature of an Egyptian temple) in the hall, a rug made out of "real dead bear" in the billiards room and...Oh yes...this tea set in the dining room.

The table set for afternoon tea...perfect

Then we went upstairs...The landing had three cases filled with stuffed birds.  Then we headed along the dim, spooky corridor into a gentleman's bedroom, with a tin hip bath, a hatstand for top hats and a bit of a soldier's uniform.  After that it was into the lady's princess' room.  Along with her glass cabinet of potions, medicines and lotions which I found interesting, there was a mannequin dressed in a full length green velvet gown, a wardrobe filled with delicate shoes and hats, button boots and a four poster bed.

There was so much to look at it was not remotely difficult maintaining Beatrice's attention.  I admit "remember don't touch" was hissed on occasion but she enjoyed the tour, much to the amazement of the guide.  "I thought she was much too young to be interested in history!" she confessed as we left.  I just smiled thinking "she is at the perfect age to be interested in everything".  She doesn't know that it is "history", she hasn't developed the art of academic labelling yet, she just knows it was a beautiful house, with spooky long corridors, filled with stories of long ago people.  What's not to like about stories?

The Rose Garden

  What else was there to do?  Bea had amassed sufficient courage after touring the house to visit the...

The witch's washing line

In her little kitchen there were shelves of potions and a table with five covered boxes.  Bea was challenged to put her hand under the cloth to feel what was in the box and guess if what she was feeling was...

• Newt Eggs
• Witches Warts
• Boiled Worms
• Pickled Eyes
• Witches Fingernail

The witch who greeted us was very friendly, but Bea remained suspicious of her...despite her own witchy eyebrows!

The face paint and spooky spider!

Scaring Daddy with the witchy face!

We stopped in Lady Ada's tearoom for refreshments.  One of us had a toffee apple, one of us had a slice of Victoria sandwich (with jam and coconut on the top....that's one to keep in mind) and one of us had a scone, apple tart and cream......hmmmm....I wonder which was which?!

Then feeling revitalised it was off to find the "Goblin's Gravestones".  The first one was beside a rather ugly governess....

Bea looks quite maudlin over the demise of Scraggy Baggy Rat!

Once we had paid our respects to the goblins we had to return to the gift shop to hand in a list of their names.  Walking through the courtyard we discovered that the spooky stories were about to start.  By now the brave goblin hunter was eager to go into the story room and wait for the witch to arrive.... and arrive she did, warts, pet crow et al!

The tale of the Hairy Toe!

Our final adventure for the day was to go into the pumpkin carving chamber and draw a spooky face on an orange gourd and watch as it was carved for us.  While we were watching supergirl carve our pumpkin a pirate entered the room.  He struck up a conversation with four little sea dogs at the next table.  Their mummy asked him, "are you a good or a bad pirate?"  When he replied "Bad!" a little hand reached up and sought the reassurance of mine, and as Capt. Jack left, a little body slunk behind my legs.  I love the faith that Bea has in me.  Mummy against the pirate....her money's on Mummy!

I told you it was super girl!

There was just time on our way to the car for a spot of colouring in....

...and a rustle in the leaves....

...and that concludes an autumnal adventure.